Our Employee Wellness and Support Services provides opportunities and resources for employees to develop and maintain healthy emotional, mental, and physical well-being through support and guidance, as well as promoting personal and professional productivity through educational engagement. Visit our website for more information about Employee Wellness and Support Services: Employee Wellness and Support Services

We know coming back to 2021-2022 school year with rising COVID-19 cases can be stressful. Here are some helpful tips to decompress your stress, anxiety, and to promote mental/emotional well-being.

Now that we are back to work, how will you position yourself to have your best year ever? Managing the stress that comes with returning to school, navigating new responsibilities, and caring for yourself and others can seem overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you manage some popular stressors.

Source: Managing Stress

Have you ever found that you talk yourself out of receiving something that could be beneficial? Have you ever let societal pressure make you forfeit self-care due to negative opinions? If you answered “yes” or “maybe,” it may have been because of stigma. When it comes to mental health care, many times people have this stigma that becomes a barrier to receiving treatment. Patrick W. Corrigan a psychological scientist, states “the prejudice and discrimination of mental illness is as disabling as the illness itself. It undermines people attaining their personal goals and dissuades them from pursuing effective treatments.”

Stigma is created by fear, stereotypes, discrimination, and misinformation. Stigma can be found at structural and institutional levels that trickle down to affect individuals. Often, stigma is also linked to cultural and spiritual beliefs about mental health that sometimes influence individuals' core beliefs about treatment modalities.

As the school year starts, pose this question to yourself, “Am I letting stigma be a barrier?” Start the journey (and for some-- continue that journey) of assessing your needs and engaging in self-awareness because this is critical to growth and success.

Source: Association for Psychological Science

Unfortunately, the ability to engage in self-criticism is a skill that many have mastered. For some, showing grace and compassion towards others seems second nature, however providing that same courtesy inward can be challenging. Self-compassion doesn’t involve judging self or others, but it creates a sense of self-worth where people can provide themselves with genuine care for their own well-being. The power of self-compassion has the ability to break stigma as well as the fuel to recover from setbacks. Start today to discover ways that self-compassion can be implemented in your day; it can be powerful!

Source: Harvard Business Review

In the U.S., suicide is the 10th leading cause of death across all age groups and is the 2nd leading cause of death for youth ages 10-24. Early identification and treatment of patients at elevated risk for suicide is a key to suicide prevention strategy. Check in with family members, friends, and loved ones when you get a chance this month. *Click on the suicide prevention lifeline link to identify the risk factors and warning signs.

Source: Suicide Prevention Lifeline

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month — a time to raise awareness on this stigmatized topic. We utilize September to spread hope and important information about the taboo topic of suicide.

Suicidal thoughts can affect anyone regardless of age, gender, culture, or background. Additionally, suicide is often the result of an untreated mental health condition. Suicidal thoughts, although common, should not be considered normal and often indicate more serious issues.

While suicide prevention is important to address year-round, Suicide Prevention Awareness Month provides a dedicated time to come together with collective passion and strength around a difficult topic. We can all benefit from honest conversations about mental health conditions and suicide, because just one conversation can save a life. Together we can do this!

Source: NAMI

National Suicide Prevention Lifeline

1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line

About the Lifeline

Mental and Emotional Support in North Texas

877-653-6363

North Texas Behavioral Health Authority

Crisis Management Resources in North Texas

North Texas Counties offer behavioral health services and resources on a sliding scale or no cost. These agencies are on call for crisis management 24/7.

Crisis | Mental Health | Counseling | Psychiatric Services | Medication Management

Dallas County

866-260-8000

Dallas County North Texas Behavioral Health Authority Crisis Line

Collin County

877-422-5939

Life Path Systems

Denton County

800-762-0157

Denton County MHMR Center

Tarrant County

817-335-3022

MHMR of Tarrant County

1. READ A BOOK OR MAGAZINE FOR A FEW MINUTES

Pick up your favorite fiction novel, or glossy magazine. Getting lost in another world can provide a welcome distraction from a stressful situation, and return you to a calmer state.

2. MAKE YOURSELF A CUP OF TEA

Step away from your work and make yourself a cup of tea - this could be followed by a tea meditation, or simply having a chat with a coworker who's also on a tea break.

3. FOCUS ON YOUR BREATHING

For most of our day, we don't think about breathing - our body breathes for us. However, we tend to breathe more shallowly when we don't focus on breathing, so a simply focus on the intake of air, holding, and exhaling can bring more oxygen into our bodies, and calm our thoughts.

4. RUN AN ERRAND AWAY FROM YOUR DESK

If you have an errand that involves leaving your usual work space, now may be the time to do it. Taking a letter to the front office, or running a USB stick to another department, can provide a welcome distraction and a change of scenery for a few minutes.

5. MAKE YOUR OWN SELF-CARE PLAN

While you might not be able to sneak away from work to run yourself a bubble bath, creating a self-care plan can give you the tools to get through stressful experiences at work, and reward yourself too.

6. TAKE A WALK AROUND THE BLOCK

If you work in a position where you can leave your workplace during lunch,/break take the opportunity to walk around the block or the building once or twice. Walking - and being active generally - can improve your mood, and boost your mental wellbeing.

Source: Calmer

Fitness is for life

1. SET GOALS

Start with simple and realistic goals and then progress to longer range goals.

2. MAKE IT FUN

Find activities that you enjoy, then vary the routine to keep it interesting.

3. MAKE PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PART OF YOUR DAILY ROUTINE

You can slip in physical activity throughout the day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, or park further away from the store. Walk up and down the sidelines while watching the kids play sports. Take a walk during a break at work.

4. PUT IT ON PAPER

Are you hoping to lose weight? Boost your energy? Write down your goals. Seeing the benefits of regular exercise and writing your goals down on paper may help you stay motivated.

5. JOIN FORCES WITH FRIENDS, NEIGHBORS OR OTHERS

You're not in this alone. Work out with your partner or loved ones. You can keep each other accountable.

6. REWARD YOURSELF

After you achieve your daily/weekly/monthly goals, take some time to reward yourself. This can be treating yourself to ice-cream or your favorite restaurant. This type of internal reward can help you make a long-term commitment to regular exercise.

7. BE FLEXIBLE

It is okay to take a day or two off if you are too busy or simply don't feel well. Go easy on yourself if you need a break but stay disciplined.

Source: Mayoclinic

Did you know that your Blue Cross Blue Shield TRS - Active Health Care Plan offers these great features to help mange health conditions and reach your wellness goals?

-$0 one-on-one wellness coaching

-Gym membership starting as low as $19/month

-24/7 access to personal health guides

-Nutrition and weight loss programs

-Pregnancy and family planning support

Click BCBS TRS - Active Health Care website to learn more about your wellness benefits!

1. They make up everything.

2. They planet.

3. Just one, but the light bulb has to want to change.

4. Because he used all the cache.

Newsletter Questions/Suggestions/Comments?

Contact:

Jose Villasenor (Strategist) | Veronica Maples | Brian Kim | Nedra Brown (Cluster Leads)

Jovillasenor@irvingisd.net | Brikim@irvingisd.net | Vmaples@irvingisd.net | Nbrown@irvingisd.net

972-600-5217 O | 469-781-1843 M

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